MONTHS of fundraising to send little Finlay Brunt to America for a life-changing operation have paid off.

Finlay, five, of Acland Road, Bridgend, has difficulty walking due to a rare form of cerebral palsy.

Without the operation, Finlay could be in a wheelchair by the time he reaches his teens.

But Finlay, along with his family and friends, were celebrating last week as local efforts helped smash the £40,000 target – with extra to spare.

Finlay’s mum Jane Brunt said: “It’s been hectic over the last few weeks, we’ve been doing so much stuff to raise money and it’s such a relief. When Finlay gets back, he’ll need physiotherapy which the NHS can’t guarantee, so we’ll use the extra money to fund that.

“Finlay knows he’s going for the operation, but he’s not really saying much about it yet. He’s taking it all in his stride.”

The family will be flying to Washington on November 14, and specialists will perform the operation at St Louis Children’s Hospital.

Mrs Brunt said: “It’s such a relief. I knew we would reach the target, because I knew we had to do it, but my mum and dad were worried.”

She added that the Fix Finlay fund had also received a cheque from the Look Out for Lexi fund, which exceeded its £15,000 target by £10,000 to take two-year-old Lexi Hailstone, of Park View, Bryntirion, to a clinic in Austria to help her eat.

Mrs Brunt said: “They exceeded their target too and made a donation to Finlay, which really helped.

“Everyone’s done their best for us and I want everyone to know that we did it, we got there, and just a big thank you to everyone.”

Finlay’s family rounded off months of fundraising with a balloon race and have been receiving calls from as far away as France, as people find balloons released at Heronsbridge School on Ewenny Road. They also held a Halloween party at the Two Brewers pub in Brackla.